The 10 greatest Lamborghinis ever – rated

Next week, it's a Lamborghini frenzy here at Telegraph Cars – not only do we get to drive the brand new Huracan Spyder and bring you our verdict, but we'll also be driving the car that set Lamborghini's reputation for outlandish, wedge-shaped cars: the Countach. To celebrate, here are the 10 best cars ever to wear the Lamborghini badge – from bottom to top.

10. Not the kind of car you'd normally associate with the Lamborghini brand these days, the LM002 was a former military project that turned into an ultra luxurious, V12-powered off-roader. Which goes some way toward explaining its... let's call it "idiosyncratic" styling, and that vast bonnet bulge. Expect a slightly more palatable offering when Lamborghini unveils the Urus, its next SUV, later this year.

9. The quiet man of the Lambo history books, the Urraco was nevertheless significant; it was the first V8-powered, entry-level Lamborghini, a type of car Ferrucio Lamborghini always thought crucial to the company's success. He was proven right; the smaller Gallardo and Huracàn have helped keep Lamborghini profitable in recent years. The Urraco's other claim to fame, of course, was that one of them conked out on the A4 at the hands of James May during an old Top Gear challenge.

8. The Lamborghini Espada was the first attempt at a grand tourer, and Lamborghini did it properly, with four full-sized seats crammed in beneath that incredibly long, low roof. It was rather understated – especially by the standards of Lamborghini – but made up for that with sheer presence thanks to its width and length.

7. Unfairly derided by some as "the poor man's Lambo", the Gallardo nevertheless gave Lamborghini a foil to Ferrari's V8 models, after several years of languishing without one. It also brought huge numbers of new customers to the brand, and gained a reputation for grippy, precise handling.

6. The McLaren F1 might have had the figures, but it was the Lamborghini Diablo that had the looks in the battle for Nineties supercar supremacy. Wild and unabashed, it was the ultimate expression of Lamborghini daftness – it looked and sounded like nothing else on Earth, and went like the clappers too.

5. Some were disappointed by the Aventador, saying it was Lamborghini playing it safe. And it's fair that its styling was an evolution of the Murcielago's rather than the revolutions that had come before it. But then again, it is the fastest car on sale in the UK today – and that has to count for something.

4. Succeeding the Diablo was never going to be easy, but the Murcielago did so in style. It was smoother and sharper to look at than its predecessor, but thanks to those angry headlights and opening side vents, it looked even more evil. A welcome dose of Audi money also gave it a more usable, better-built interior, too.

3. The Lamborghini 350GT was the car that, arguably, started it all. True, there was the GTV, its predecessor and Ferrucio Lamborghini's own prototype, but the 350GT was the first proper Lamborghini you could buy - and with the first incarnation of the Lamborghini V12 slung beneath that beautifully curving body, it was utterly beguiling.

2. Ahh, the Miura. Often cited as the most beautifull car in the world, ever, and the progenitor of all modern supercars with its revolutionary mid-engined layout. It was, nevertheless, flawed; at speed, its aerodynamics gave rise – no pun intended – to terrible front-end lift. Which is why it doesn't quite get the top spot here. So what does?

1. That's right - the Lamborghini Countach. Styled by Marcello Gandini, it lacked the svelte beauty of the Miura, but made up for it in spades with a wedge-shaped body that looked nothing short of a concept car made real. The scissor doors only added to the effect, and the Countach became Lamborghini's most enduring model, lasting from its launch in 1973 right through until 1990. And if you want to know what one is really like, stay tuned to Telegraph Cars, where we'll be driving one next week.